The Story of Chanukah(For an overview of the calendar return to the main tab)

Like many stories, this one begins long, long ago and far, far away. In fact, around 2200 years ago and almost directly on the other side of our world.

Alexander the Great had conquered all the lands between Greece and India. In the center of that land was Judea, which served as a corridor between Syria and Babylon in the north, and Egypt in the south. Under Alexander, religious freedom existed. The Jews paid their taxes and followed the law of the land but they also were allowed to keep Jewish law. When Alexander died, his kingdom was divided up and eventually the Greek king of Syria, Antiochus IV or Antiochus Epiphanes (the madman) came to power. He wanted everyone to be the same – Greek: to speak the Greek language, to adopt the Greek culture and to worship Greek gods. As would happen so often in our history, the Jews were forbidden to practice brit milah (circumcision), observe Shabbat (the Sabbath day), or pray to their only God.

In 168 B.C.E. (before the common era), Antiochus Epiphane had an idol of Zeus erected in the Temple in Jerusalem, sacrificed swine on the altar, poured out the sanctified oil and stole the special vessels and ornaments of the Temple. A decree was then issued to erect idols in every town throughout the land and the Jews were ordered to sacrifice and bow to the idols. Some gave in and adopted the ways of Hellenism but many resisted and lost their lives.

In a small town, just outside of Jerusalem, lived Mattathias Hasmon, the priest of Modin. (In those days, we did not have rabbis but a priestly class that performed the religious rites.) Upon viewing the Temple desecration, Mattathias became enraged. Raising a sword he shouted, “All for God, follow me”. Then he and his five sons retreated through the throng into the caves in the hills surrounding Jerusalem. The word spread and they were joined by Jews from other villages.

Now, Mattathias was elderly, so he appointed his son, Judah, to lead the rebel band. Judah and his followers became known as the Maccabees, the hammers, for the guerrilla warfare they waged against the Seleucid army. For three years, the battles raged. Then, because the Syrian –Greek army became divided fighting other fronts and they had became discouraged at being hammered by the Jews, they retreated from the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Jews, returning to their holy city and Temple, found it in ruin. So, they cleaned, purified and got ready to rededicate the Temple and altar. One of the things they needed to do was rekindle the ner tamid (eternal light) also known as the menorah* (a seven branched candelabra), which stood in the Temple. According to the Books of Maccabees*, only a single container of oil was found, just enough to burn for one day.

According to Halacha (Jewish law), the priests could not participate in religious rites for seven days if they had been near dead bodies. Because they had been part of the battle, it would be a week before more oil could be produced. Still, on the 25th of Kislev, 165 B.C.E., three years after the decree from Antiochus, the Temple was rededicated and the menorah lit.

The people celebrated for 8 days, remembering the holiday of Sukkot that they had missed because of the war. Miraculously the lamp continued to burn for all 8 days at which time the new oil was ready. It was decreed that the Jews should light lights every year to remember the Temple miracle. The holiday was known as Chag HaOr, the festival of lights. Then over time, the holiday became known as Chanukah (dedicate) for the dedication of the Jews to retain their way of life and belief in God and for the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

And so, for nearly 2200 years, we have observed the 25th day of Kislev in the Jewish calendar, and the 7 days following it, as the holiday of Chanukah.

__________ * The Books of Maccabee appear in the Apocrypha (hidden) but not in Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. II Maccabee was part of the Septuagint and the books are included in the Catholic Bible.